Bitcoin, Ballrooms, Billionaires: Political Machine Corruption Must Be Stopped

I'm running for U.S. Senate because I'm tired of party machines, cronyism, and putting Big Money over regular folks. Join me in this fight against corruption.

The Buck Stops Here – Harry S. Truman

I am angry. I am angry because everyday I see regular folks ignored by a political system that is supposed to represent and protect them, all while the scales of justice tilt ever more toward the ultra-rich and powerful. I entered this race because I was angry after seeing my fellow National Park Rangers fired for no reason but a random billionaire’s say-so. I am furious as I see folks’ grocery bills go up, healthcare premiums increase, and I am angrier still at the blatant party machine cronyism we see every day.

Ol’ boy back-room deals leave citizens feeling like their voice doesn’t matter. Mega-donors and corporate interests are treating our government like it’s for sale, buying access, power, and pardons. It’s no wonder that approximately 89 million Americans, roughly 36% of voting-eligible citizens did not vote in the last election.

Just last week, the founder of the largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world (itself at the center of various other legal and ethical problems) was pardoned by President Trump. Former CEO Changpeng Zhao pled guilty in 2023 because the company, Binance, had no procedures in place to flag suspicious or illegal transactions, enabling money laundering, terrorist groups, and other criminal activities to exchange funds unchecked.

The pardon comes amid a flurry of lobbying, campaign finance, and industry ties between Binance and the Trump family. When someone pleads guilty to blatant financial crimes, pays an enormous fine (Binance paid $4.3 billion!), serves their time, and then uses their connections to have their slate wiped clean, that sends a message to the rest of us: the rules don’t apply equally.

This huge news in the crypto-world isn’t even the most prominent instance of corruption this week. Consider this: President Trump’s demolition of the East Wing of the White House. Not only is it unapproved by the historic preservation entities within the federal government that exist for this exact purpose, but it’s being funded through “donations” from major tech companies, defense contractors, and other shady Big Money individuals.

These “donors” each have something to gain by bribing donating to this gaudy and ostentatious project: contracts with the federal government paying billions of dollars each. Each check paying for this “private” enhancement to the people’s White House is paying for access to the highest level of government, gaining favors, with absolutely no accountability.

One of those ballroom “donors,” Stephen Schwarzman, is also backing Senator Mike Rounds, my opponent. The same Big Money billionaires contributing to corruption are backing career politicians who only answer to party bosses. Consider supporting my campaign to help me fight Big Money in the Senate. Thank you.

Finally (or rather, thirdly, as this is certainly not an exhaustive list), the Financial Times revealed that a drone company linked to Donald Trump Jr. recently secured a major contract with the Pentagon, highlighting the troubling overlap between family ties, political connections, and the government procurement process. This case underscores a broader pattern through both of Trump’s presidencies in which insiders leverage access and influence to win lucrative deals, rather than competing on merit alone.

None of these examples are really about left vs. right partisanship. It’s about power vs. people. As an Independent, I pledge my loyalty to the people of South Dakota and the United States of America. I won’t pledge allegiance to any party machine, not the mega-donor class, and certainly not to the Big Money interests corrupting Washington. I spent my career as an Air Force JAG prosecuting corruption, enforcing strict ethics, and upholding the letter and spirit of our nation’s laws.

I believe in accountability. I believe in transparency. When I’m in office representing South Dakota, I’ll be answering to regular folks, not to the biggest check, the most significant contributor, or the highest bidder. Here are three commitments I pledge right now, and I’m counting on you to hold me accountable:

1. No hidden influence. I will make my schedule public. You deserve to know who’s whispering in the ear of your leaders.

2. Tighten the rules & close the loopholes. We must strengthen ethics enforcement across all branches of government. We must limit or ban large contributions that perpetuate pay-to-play patronage.

3. Elevate the voice of everyday people. If you’re a teacher, a farmer, a small business owner, or a caregiver, you deserve to know your voice counts. Policy should reflect your life, not just the life of the boardroom billionaire.

This mission matters because democracy works only when people are confident the system works for them. When the ultra-rich and well-connected push aside that confidence, the whole system falters. I’m running because we can restore it. We can build a Senate and government that is responsive, responsible, and respectful of the public trust.

The insiders are making deals while the rest of us live with the consequences. If you’re tired of that same old game, then I invite you to join me in my Independent campaign for South Dakota’s Senate seat. Let’s send a message: no more turning the People’s House into a personal playground; no more pardons given as favors; no more Big Money having more say than regular folks.

My loyalty is to you, not to the party, nor the donor class that sustains them, nor the lobbyists writing bills for them. My loyalty is to the people, and I intend to bring this fight to the Senate.

Thank you for standing with me.

Brian Bengs, Lt Col (Ret)

Independent Candidate for U.S. Senate

I am running for U.S. Senate in South Dakota as an Independent because I want to give South Dakotans a real voice. I will work to make life easier and more comfortable for regular folks while fighting ultra-rich corporate interests that seek to do the opposite. Consider contributing to my campaign to help me fight for regular folks. Thank you.